Magnetic recording heads are used in computers, tape recorders, video tape recorders, and the like to store data on a magnetic tape or disk and to read such data from such a tape or disk. Magnetic sensors are used in such magnetic recording heads to detect the signal applied to the magnetic recording head by the recording medium.
Magnetic sensors widely used include thin film inductive sensors, magnetoresistance (MR) sensors, and Hall effect sensors. Of these sensors, Hall effect sensors are desirable because of their ability to detect weaker signals. Accordingly, magnetic recording heads incorporating a Hall effect sensor are suitable for use in higher density recording systems.
To efficiently use the magnetic flux during the read back process from a magnetic recording device, the dead (nonmagnetic) layers in a Hall effect sensor, such as the insulating and bonding layers, should be thin. Further, to reduce the noise resulting from electron scattering between grain boundaries and to obtain stronger signals, the Hall effect element should be a thin (on the order of a few microns), single crystal film of a semiconductor material.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a method for producing a Hall effect sensor that overcomes the difficulties and disadvantages of the prior art.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method of forming a Hall effect sensor having thin, readily reproducible bond lines wherein the Hall effect element is a thin, single crystal film of a semiconductor material.
Additional objects and advantages will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.